Process for treating bituminous materials and hydrocarbon oils



G. EGLOFF Apn'ii 1 7, 934.

PROCESS FOR TREATING BITUMINOUS MATERIALS AND HYDROGARBON OILS FiledFeb. 10, 1930 J32 2 19 72 for. Gas fizz E Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITEDSTATES.

PROCESS FOR TREATING BITUMINOUS MA- TERIALS AND HYDROCARBON OILS GustavEglofl, Chicago,

Ill., assignor to Universal Oil Products Company, Chicago, 111., acorporation of South Dakota Application February lll, 1930, Serial No.427,123

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a process for treating bituminous materialsand hydrocarbon oils, and relates more particularly to the conversion ofmixtures of bituminous solids such as coal, lignite, cannel coal, tars,pitches, et cetera, with solvent materials at elevated temperature so asto produce motor fuels, other lower boiling hydrocarbons and coke.

Among the objects of my invention is the utilization of low grade coalsand coal wastes as well as the higher grade coals in the production of ahigh grade coke and a highly anti-knock motor fuel. Coal breeze andfines which are usually of the lowest economic value or constitute awaste are especially suitable for processing according to the method ofmy invention, since this material is already resolved to a fine state ofdivision. These materials as well a lignite's, tars, pitches, gilsonite,grahamite, shales and the like, or mixtures thereof are treated toproduce a coke product and a maximum yield of lower boiling hydrocarbonswith the minimum amount of gaseous products.

The coke product has the advantage of being of such composition that itcan be removed from the process to a major extent in suitable sizehaving sufficient strength as not to crumble readily and requiring nofurther devolatllization treatment to condition it so as to provide itwith desired burning qualities.

Among further objects of 'my invention is to provide a process wheremotor fuel hydrocarbons and coke are produced in one operation insteadof in several operations, as is usually thecase. Advantages'result fromthe combination of operations as developed in my process sincethe'increased yield of liquid products in the form of motor fuel anddecreased gas formation as above noted are a result of obtaining in oneoperation similar and improved products, both as to yield and quality,as the" products which result from the several operations.

My inventioncomprises the mixing of powdered bituminous materials suchas referred to above with solvent materials, or mixtures thereof withhydrocarbon oils, and subjectingsuch mixtures to cracking or conversionconditions at elevated temperatures. Examples of the solvent materialswhich may be used are benzol, toluol, xylol, creosote and other tar oilsor even some of the bituminous materials above referred to. In thepractice of my invention solvent oils may be used which undergo nosubstantial conversion under the elevated temperatures used to convertthe bituminous materials into coke, motor fuel containing hydrocarbonsand gas. the practice of my invention solvent materials may be usedwhich are in the solid state at ordinary temperatures and thereforerequire heating and melting prior to their introduction into theLikewise, in

process with or without admixture with the bituminous materials. V

Preferably, the solvent is mixed with the bituminous material previousto its introduction into the system alone or in admixture withhydrocarbon oils.

Temperature conditions used at the outlet of the heating element mayvary from 600 to 1400 F. and pressures may vary from atmospheric to highsuperatmospheric pressures. Pressure on the balance of the system mayvary from subatmospheric or atmospheric pressure to highsuperatmospheric pressures.

Referring to the attached drawing, which illustrates one embodiment ofthe method of my invention and which should not be construed as alimitation as to the manner of carrying out this invention, the mixtureof bituminous and solvent material is pumped by means ofpump 1 throughline 2 and valve 3 with valve 4 in line 5 closed, into line 6 where itmixes with hot reflux oil being pumped from the dephlegmator; Thismixture of materials to be processed then passes into the heatingelement 7 located in the heating zone 8, the heating coil being ofsuchdesign as to process the materials at suitable time-temperaturepressure, and velocity condi' tions. The heated materials or productstherefrom leave the heating zone through line 9 and valve 10 and enterthe reaction chamber 11 where the reaction continues and vaporizationandseparation or deposition take place. Materials withdrawn from thisreaction zone during the period when the process is being brought tooperating conditions or removed during the operation are withdrawnthrough line 12, regulated by valve 13, which may lead to storage or tosubsequent suitable processing elements (not shown). The vaporous andgaseous products leave the reaction zone through line 14 and valve I5,and enter near the bottom of the dephlegmating zone 16, where the vaporsmay be subjected to heat interchanged and/or cooling. Thecondensedvapors and any materials added, fiow downward through the line 1'? andvalve 18 to the suction side of the hot oil pump 19 from which they arepumped through line 6 to mix with fresh materials and be reprocessed.

The treated vapors and gases from the dephlegmator 16 pass through theline 20 and valve 21 to the condenser and/or cooler 22, and the cooledproducts then flow through line 23 and valve 24 into the receiver 25where separation of the liquid and uncondensed vaporsand gases chargedthrough the line 29 and valve 30 to the suction side of the pump 31which pumps this oil through line 32 to a suitable distributing medium33 located in the top of dephlegmator 16. During the starting up periodor in the progress of the operation solvent material or hydrocarbon oilmay be pumped from a suitable source (not shown) by means of pump 34 tothe dephlegma-.

tor through lines 35 and 37, valve 36 being closed and valve 38 beingopen, the liquid entering the dephlegmator at 39. A part of the flow ofthis solvent material or hydrocarbon oil may be pumped directly to theheating element 7 by partly opening the valve 36 and with suitableadjustment of valve 38, allowing said oil to flow through line 35 andvalve 40 into lines 2 and 6, the valve 42 being closed, or the wholeflow of the hydrocarbon oil and/or solvent material may be pumpeddirectly to the heating element by closing valve 38 and opening valve36. In the event that it may be so desired a portion or all of this oilor solvent material may be directed through valve 42 in line 41 intoline 5 and thence into line 9 before or after valve 10 by the obviousregulation of either valve 43 in line 44 or valve 45- in line 5.

In a like manner, a portion of the mixture of bituminous and solventmaterial pumped by pump 1 through line 2 can be directed if so desiredthrough valve 4 in line 5 into the line 9.

As a specific example of one embodiment of the practice of my inventionand the results obtained, a suspension of approximately 40% by weight ofpowdered cannel coal in a coal tar of 0.995 specificgravity of blastfurnace origin and containing 48% by volume distilling below 700 'F'. ischarged to the process at the rate of approximately 890 barrels of coaltar per day. The coal tar prior to its heating with the powdered coal inthe system exerts only a small solvent action and serves primarily as asuspending means up to that point. Upon heating, however, a

marked solvent action occurs not only due to "perature of said oil underpressure, combining said crackable heavy hydrocarbon oil with the thesolvent nature of the tar oil suspending. the coal particles, but duealso to the solvent nature of the conversion products produced from thetar, not so much from those produced during any one particular passthrough the heating zone, but due to a much larger extent to the solventnature of the partial conversion products produced therefrom which arecondensed in the dephlegmator and returned to the heating zone togetherwith fresh materials. The conditions of temperature and pressure on theprocessed materlals leaving the heating zone are approximately 880 F.and 350 pounds.

In the present example which is illustrative of one form of anon-residuum operation, the coke formed is deposited in the reactionchamber and no non-vaporized oil is withdrawn therefrom after normaloperating conditions have been fully established. The vapors from thereaction chamber are dephlegmated and partially converted hydro-carbonscondensed and returned to the heating zone--the ratio of these condensedmaterials, reflux condensate so-called, to raw charging materials beinggoverned by the selection of the operating conditions used so that thereflux ratio is approximately six to one. The temperature used in thetop of the dephlegmator was 380 F. This temperature was maintained bythe recirculation of the liquid product separated in the receiver. Thepressure on the system beyond the heating zone is regulated bymaintaining a liquid level in the receiver and the release of the ingand processing a 24-26 gravity fuel oil. This period covered a space ofapproximately five hours.

The coke resulting from this operation was of sufficient body andstrength that it did not crumble when removed from the reaction zone andhad a relatively low volatile content. The liquid product obtained atthe rateof 20.5 barrels per hour and contained 95% of motor fuel havinga 412 F. end-point.

The yield of motor fuel corresponds to approximately 44 gallons per tonof cannel coal and approximately 42 percent of the tar oil processed.The composite motor fuel had an anti-knock value equivalent of 46% ofbenzol in Pennsylvania straight run gasoline. Similar results may beobtained with other bituminous materials.

The invention is not to be interpreted as being limited to the chargingcomponents or the proportions which have been given by way of example,for it is within the scope of this invention to process variouscombinations of the carbonaceous materials and solvent materials atconditions suitable to the mixtures used and results desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. A process for treating a crackable heavy hydrocarbon oil andsolidbituminous material which comprises mixing finely divided solidbituminous material with a solvent for bitumen which undergoes nosubstantial conversion under the cracking conditions of temperature andpressure necessary for converting a substantial portion of said heavyoil into gasoline, passing the resultant mixture in a restricted streamthrough a heating zone and heating the same therein to the crackingtemheated mixture discharged from the heating zone and maintaining themass at cracking temperature under pressure in an enlarged reaction zoneand effecting substantial cracking therein, separating the mass intovapors and residue, and

condensing the vapors.

2. A process for treating a crackable heavy hydrocarbon oil and solidbituminous material which comprises mixing finely divided solidbituminous material with a solvent for bitumen which undergoes nosubstantial conversion under the cracking conditions of temperature andpressure necessary for converting a substantial portion of said heavyoil into gasoline, passing the resultant mixture in a restricted streamthrough a heating zone and heating the same therein to the crackingtemperature of said oil under pressure, combining said crackable heavyhydrocarbon oil with the heated mixture discharged from the heating zoneand maintaining the mass at cracking temperature under pressure in anenlarged reaction zone and effecting substantial cracking therein,separating'the mass into vapors and residue, dephlegmating the vapors tocondense heavier fractions thereof and returning resultant refluxcondensate to the heating zone, and finally condensing the dephlegmatedvapors.

GUSTAV EGLOFF.

